This application relates generally to support devices and, more particularly, to a new and improved device for supporting food and drink in vehicles.
People may spend quite some time in vehicles traveling from one place to another. During this period they may want a flat surface upon which to eat, drink or write. This need may arise while the vehicle is in transit or, out of convenience, when stationary. As a result, the operators, while in a sitting position within the vehicle, may want some place upon which to rest the utensils and the plate carrying food. This surface will also catch food crumbs which may be inadvertently dropped during eating.
Responsive to this problem, various solutions have been proposed. For example, foldable table units mounted to the vehicle's seat or floor have been described. These table units may be mounted to a fixed reference point and thus extend or pivot into a generally horizontal position before the user and, upon the end of such need, would fold away into a less obtrusive position. Alternatively, various types of trays may be used to rest upon the lap or before the operator. These trays tend to have a substantially planar eating surface with a variety of supports depending from the bottom side of the tray body.
However, numerous problems have arisen in conjunction with the above solutions to these problems. For example, the fixed mounting of the particular portable table to the vehicle may create some problems. For example, fixed mounting might facilitate the unfavorable transmission of vibration to the operator or user while writing or eating upon such surface. Furthermore, because the frictional coefficient of hard plastics and metal tends to be on the low side, materials tend to slide around on the surface and make it difficult to use the surface for its intended purpose. Finally, hard plastics and metals generally to have relatively hard edges. These edges could result in injury to the user or others upon unintentional contact with the tray caused by a sudden acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle or by the tray being thrown by a juvenile user.
There exists, therefore, a significant longfelt need for an improved vehicle food tray for safe, dampened and frictional support of food while eating within the vehicle or in a general sitting position. The portable food tray of the present invention clearly fulfills all of these needs and provides further related advantages.